Overseas "volunteer" posting

[Yeahyeahyeah]

Morning gents,

just wondering if anyone with a bit of AP 3392 knowledge out there can shed some light on whether or not the RAF can force you to take an overseas posting if you are not willing to go.

i have been presented with the ap3392 vol 2 leaflet 1530 annex B and the language seems to suggest if i sign it i am volunteering for the post, which is not the case.

any help greatly appreciated.

 

[muttywhitedog]

I'm pretty sure the "Service Need" will be applied when the career (!) manager cant get someone to fill a particular post with a volunteer.

 

[Chosen]

Sounds like a wind-up to me? The only overseas I have ever heard people being sent to is an OOA/DWR. In principle you could be longest in post and therefore the RAF could select you for a vacant post overseas. In principle, but not one that I have heard applied for at least 20+ years. If you don't want to sign the form don't. If you receive a longest in post draft, all you can do is discuss with your line management, daily if necessary until you either receive a new posting or you find there is water alongside you. An alternative is to PVR of course. I would also apply the question of whether the principle of you being posted abroad applies to all trades or just yours. I know some precedence has been applied in certain trades when there are no volunteers, such as temporary promotions for 3 years etc.

 

[Humble Scribe]

Very unlikely scenario but Mutty is right that in principle the service need can be applied here. Interested to know the rank and trade of the particular post you are being asked to fill as generally if there are no volunteers promotion is often used as the carrot rather than longest in location; extending individuals already overseas is an option too.

Ultimately Manning can apply the service need but not without investigating all other options first I would suggest and presenting you with an overseas application rather than asking through your Chf Clk & CoC is highly unusual.

 

[Yeahyeahyeah]

I am an sac so no promotion carrot

i cant really ally say about the exacts of the posting but I have been approached through my CoC and not just had a form thrust in front of me

thanks for the advice though

 

[Witty_Banter]

Correct me if I'm wrong (which is quite possible) but they cannot force you to take an accompanied overseas tour - ie, to move your family job-lot to an overseas location. However, with service need (as said above) you can be ordered to go unaccompanied if there is nobody else available / able to do the job. If you're a singly, I would say jump at the chance to get an overseas slot as there are considerably less problems than with assigning a family man / woman with associated family members.

However, the fact remains that to fulfil an overseas tour you currently have to:

Volunteer, and fill out the appropriate paperwork, pass medicals etc
Have your line management approve your worthiness for an overseas tour
Your OC has to back the assignment - ie if you could prove to be an admin burden, they will not send you

Unfortunately, if you've kept your nose clean, passed your RAFFT regularly and are generally good at your job, you're open to getting stitched up for any overseas posting they want to throw at you.

If you really kick up a stink, I can't imagine that they'd send you - they should move to the next person on the list. Digging out a bag of carrots eg a promotion to dangle isn't usually an option unless the post is rank ranged.

 

[Witty_Banter]

I am an sac so no promotion carrot

i cant really ally say about the exacts of the posting but I have been approached through my CoC and not just had a form thrust in front of me

thanks for the advice though

If you could offer up a little more, perhaps your TG and narrow it down to East / West of the planet (GMT), there may be someone on here who could give you more than a bit of guidance... for example I could give you info on certain TG11 posts in the ESBA part of the med...

 

[Yeahyeahyeah]

Thanks for the info, I don't want to get too into detail for risk of kicking up a stink too much.

There are compounding issues to the posting, such as that I'm not currently married but my partner and I have recently bought a house using FHTB in the local area of the camp and my other half is not able to get a posting due to other service commitments. I'm probably going to go down the PVR route but that's life for you!

 

[Humble Scribe]

Thanks for the info, I don't want to get too into detail for risk of kicking up a stink too much.

There are compounding issues to the posting, such as that I'm not currently married but my partner and I have recently bought a house using FHTB in the local area of the camp and my other half is not able to get a posting due to other service commitments. I'm probably going to go down the PVR route but that's life for you!

Go back to Manning through your CoC & Chf Clk and explain the reasons you believe you cannot accept this overseas assignment and get them to reason with the CM; dependant on trade, the last thing they want you to do is PVR. Articulate your case with reasons and say that you're considering the PVR route if all else fails to cancel the assignment (not a threat but the reasons why you would PVR rather than proceed overseas). Ultimately, they will still need to fill the post but not at the expense of losing a tradesman I'm guessing so get your Chf Clk to do the bargaining for you and see how you get on. Something usually turns up to solve these Manning difficulties.